UMD Theses and Dissertations

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/3

New submissions to the thesis/dissertation collections are added automatically as they are received from the Graduate School. Currently, the Graduate School deposits all theses and dissertations from a given semester after the official graduation date. This means that there may be up to a 4 month delay in the appearance of a given thesis/dissertation in DRUM.

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Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
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    Cognitive Mechanisms of Trauma from Police Encounters among Black Individuals
    (2022) Yee, Stephanie Elza; Shin, Richard Q; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    Black Americans historically have had a contentious relationship with police due to the violence they have endured at the hands of law enforcement (Nadal et al., 2017). Previous research has demonstrated the vast psychological consequences of intrusive police encounters (DeVylder et al., 2017). However, trauma is a largely understudied psychological outcome of police encounters for Black citizens (Bryant-Davis et al., 2017). Research on discrimination attributions for events has implicated cognitive attributions as an important predictor of the relationship between potentially racist incidents and mental health outcomes (Major & Dover, 2016). Additionally, cognitive appraisal has been identified as a very important mechanism of trauma (Sherrer, 2011). The current study seeks to fill the gaps in the literature by examining the relationships between intrusiveness of police encounters, cognitive appraisal, discrimination attributions, and trauma symptoms. Additionally, attitudes towards police are examined as a moderator on the relationship between intrusiveness of police encounters and discrimination attributions. Limitations, implications, and future directions are discussed.
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    Perceived Discrimination and Multimorbidity Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults
    (2020) Howard, Jianna; White, Kellee; Health Services Administration; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    Multimorbidity, the presence of multiple chronic conditions, is increasingly recognized by researchers as a major health priority. Relative to younger adults, the burden is much higher among middle-aged and older adults with prevalence estimates ranging from 25-98%. Variations in the burden of multimorbidity within the aging population exist with a growing body of research showing racial/ethnic differences in the incidence, prevalence, and severity of multimorbidity. This study analyzed the association between perceived racial discrimination and multimorbidity among middle-aged and older adults and whether or not existing associations vary by race/ethnicity. Findings show that individuals reporting perceived discrimination are more likely to have multimorbidity. While racial/ethnic differences in the association between perceived discrimination and multimorbidity were not observed, Black respondents displayed the greatest risk for multimorbidity. Perceived discrimination may provide insight into why multimorbidity varies by race/ethnicity through the mechanisms of stress responses and health behaviors.
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    Measuring and Assessing the Health Implications of Perceived Islamophobia Discrimination among South Asian Muslim Americans
    (2020) Ahmed, Naheed; Quinn, Sandra C.; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    South Asian Americans have high prevalence rates of Type II diabetes (15.9%) and hypertension (25%). Existing research on this topic has primarily focused on risk factors for these conditions, such as genetics, diet, and physical activity, but a gap remains in our knowledge of stress, specifically exposure to discrimination, as a contributing factor to these health outcomes. This cross-sectional, mixed methods study involved the development and assessment of a novel scale for measuring perceived Anti-Muslim discrimination, and examined associations among discrimination, depressive symptoms, and health risk behaviors (diet, physical activity, tobacco use, alcohol consumption) for Type II diabetes and hypertension. In-depth qualitative interviews (N=40) were conducted with Muslim Americans on how they define Islamophobia, how Muslims are treated and perceived in the U.S., and experiences with Islamophobia. Findings from qualitative interviews, expert reviews (N=5), and cognitive interviews (N=9) informed the development and validation of the 19-item Societal Anti-Muslim Discrimination Index (SAMDI) and the 9-item Interpersonal Anti-Muslim Discrimination Index (IAMDI). Quantitative data (N=347) were collected from Muslim Americans using an online survey. Correlation tests and principal component analysis were used to assess the SAMDI and IAMDI scales (N=347), and structural equation modeling was used to examine relations among discrimination and health using a sub-sample of South Asian Muslim American participants (n=173). Qualitative findings indicate that Islamophobia and xenophobia are significant sources of long-term stress. Participants recounted physical assaults in public locations, persistent questioning regarding their country of origin, and verbal harassment in the form of derogatory terms and comments. Vicarious exposure to Islamophobia was mentioned in relation to observations of other Muslims being harassed and hearing about bias incidents from relatives, friends, and media reports. Quantitative results indicate one-component models and modest to high reliability of the IAMDI (.77) and SAMDI (.88) scales. SAMDI was associated with an increase in depressive symptoms (.19, p<.05), as was IAMDI (.20, p<.05). Neither scale was associated with dietary patterns, tobacco use, or alcohol consumption. Study results demonstrate the link between Islamophobia and depressive symptoms, and provide a unique tool for measuring Anti-Muslim discrimination, which will aid researchers in studying the health implications of Islamophobia.
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    REPUTATION DYNAMICS IN MARKETING CONTEXTS
    (2019) Ukanwa Zeiger, Kalinda Ukanwa; Godes, David; Rust, Roland T.; Business and Management: Marketing; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    This dissertation is an examination of the impact of dynamic consumer reputation effects on firm decision-making in the marketplace. Essay I is a study of the impact of firm interventions on competitive reputation building among consumers on an online platform. Specifically, I model an actor’s decision to upload pirated content in order to build his reputation, despite facing threats from copyright lawsuits (firm interventions seeking to deter uploading activity) and intense competition on the platform. We propose a novel theory that explains what could occur in this scenario: high-reputation consumers will decrease their reputation-building activity, but their low-reputation competition may see an opportunity to enhance their reputation and increase activity. We argue that because competition for reputation is active on the site, the lawsuits may deter uploading in the short-run but may actually lead to more piracy over the long-run. Our findings support the theory: while high-reputation publishers decrease the likelihood of uploading as lawsuits increase, low-reputation uploaders do the opposite: they upload more. Essay II is an examination of the impact that a consumer group's reputation can have on firm decision-making. Specifically, we investigate 1) conditions under which a non-prejudiced firm may discriminate in service against its consumers based on group reputation, and 2) how subsequent consumer word-of-mouth can impact demand and profits over time. This mixed-methods study shows that discrimination can be profitable in the short-run but can backfire in the long-run due to the effects of consumer word-of-mouth and firm competition. Results indicate that high consumer heterogeneity in quality (i.e., their profitability to the firm) and low measurement error in detecting consumer quality attenuate the magnitude of service discrimination. The authors provide managerial recommendations on reducing service discrimination's profit-damaging effects. This research emphasizes the long-term benefits of switching to a service policy that does not use group reputation information. This dissertation contributes to the general marketing literature by providing new insights into how the reputation of the consumer, a sparsely researched area, can have direct impact on the firm in its decision-making.
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    BLACK, MALE, AND HIGH-ACHIEVING: AN EXAMINATION OF A RISK FACTOR AND CULTURAL RESOURCES FOR BLACK MALE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
    (2016) Davis, BreAnna; Smith Bynum, Mia; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    Black boys are confronted with unique educational circumstances. They are often misdiagnosed and misplaced into special education programs (Bush-Daniels, 2008; Patton, 1998; Terman et al., 1996). Additionally, they are less likely to be enrolled in gifted and talented programs, even if their former achievements reflect their aptitude to succeed (Black Alliance for Educational Options, n.d.; Moore & Flowers, 2012). Given these statistics, a considerable emphasis has been placed on the causes and the consequences of low/under achievement for this population. As a result, the experiences of Black males who are achieving have been greatly neglected. Moreover, little is known about the factors that facilitate academic achievement among high-achieving Black boys. In an effort to bring the heterogenic nature of schooling experiences for Black boys to light, the present study examined the influence risk and protective factors had on the academic experiences of high-achieving Black boys. Grounded in the risk and resilience framework and the Integrative Model for the Study of Minority Youth Development, this study explored whether the high-achieving Black high school boys in this sample (n =88) reported experiencing discrimination (i.e. academic-based) and how this academic-based discrimination related to their 1) academic performance (i.e. GPA), 2) perceptions of math ability, and 3) race-based academic self-concept. In addition to exploring how academic-based discrimination was linked to academic achievement, this study examined how cultural resources such as racial socialization messages and racial identity related to academic achievement. Specifically, cultural socialization, preparation for bias, egalitarianism, private regard and public regard were evaluated alongside the three academic outcomes under study. Finally, the study explored whether aspects of racial socialization or racial identity buffered the effects of discrimination on any of the outcomes. Interestingly, the race/ethnicity of the student mattered for how students perceived their math ability. The risk factor academic-based discrimination was linked to academic performance. Cultural resources cultural socialization, preparation for bias, and private regard were linked to various academic outcomes of interest. There was only one significant moderating effect: a high private regard buffered the relationship between academic-based discrimination and race-based academic self-concept. Limitations and implications of this study are discussed.
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    "One Raw Material in the Racial Laboratory:" Chinese, Filipino, and Japanese Students and West Coast Civil Rights, 1915-1968
    (2013) Hinnershitz, Stephanie Dawn; Greene, Julie; History; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    Between 1915 and 1968, Chinese, Filipino, and Japanese students studying at colleges and universities along the West Coast in the United States created, organized, and led influential civil rights groups. Although these students were only "temporary" visitors to the U.S., they became deeply involved in protesting the racism and discrimination that characterized life for Asian immigrants, Asian Americans, and other minorities in California and Washington. With the assistance of larger organizations such as the Young Men's and Young Women's Christian Associations and the World Student Christian Federation, these foreign students formed their own campus groups during the1920s and 1930s that allowed them to build relationships with each other as well as students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. The discrimination and segregation that visiting students from Asia faced in cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle also prompted them to consider their roles in promoting justice for racial minorities while in the U.S. By leading and participating in petition campaigns, national youth conventions, and labor organizations, students from China, Japan, and the Philippines worked together to build an activist network with African American, Asian American, white, and other foreign students devoted to ending racial discrimination and promoting civil rights and liberties for all in the U.S. Considering the continuity in ideas, ethnic and racial composition, and leadership between pre and post-World War II equality activist groups, I argue that Chinese, Filipino, and Japanese students were key players in the creation of a West Coast civil rights movement that began during the interwar period. By analyzing the records of Asian Christian campus groups, national and international youth group meeting minutes, student newspapers, yearbooks, and local West Coast community newspapers, my dissertation will alter the traditional narrative of civil rights history by arguing that the push for immigrant and human rights was a foundation for racial justice during the twentieth century.
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    Work adjustment in persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA): A biopsychosocial perspective
    (2004-11-15) Baker, Lisa; Hoffman, Mary Ann; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    While there is evidence that Persons Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHWA) have unique and changing needs and concerns in their workplaces, such as changes in health status, high medical costs, emotional consequences of the disease, and concerns about discrimination, no previous studies could be found on work adjustment (e.g., job satisfaction) in PLWHA. However, past research has linked employment disruption and decisions to disease progression, cognitive impairment, physical symptoms, depression/anxiety, concern about discrimination, and medical costs (e.g., Ezzy et al., 1999; Heaton et al., 1994; Martin, Brooks, Ortiz, & Veniegas, 2003). Therefore, this study tested a biopsychosocial model of work adjustment in employed PLWHA (N = 57), based on Hoffman and Driscoll's (2002) Concentric Biopsychosocial Model. It was hypothesized that physical health (fatigue and pain), psychological adjustment, and work support/environment would uniquely predict work adjustment (e.g., job satisfaction), where psychosocial variables were expected to account for the most of the variance explained. With the exception of pain symptoms, the predictor variables in the model were found to correlate with the primary outcome, job satisfaction. A hierarchical block-wise regression was then utilized to test the model, where the physical health variable (i.e. energy/fatigue) was entered first, followed by the entry of the psychological adjustment variable in the second block. The work environment variables (i.e., perceived supervisor support, perceived discrimination) were entered in the third and final block. Results partially supported the proposed model with 25% of the variance in job satisfaction explained in the third step, where perceived supervisor support and workplace discrimination accounted for a statistically significant amount of the variance. These findings support the importance of examining perceptions of workplace environment when addressing work adjustment and employment concerns of PLWHA.
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    The Effect of Organizational Climate on the Attribution to Discrimination Process
    (2004-04-12) Leslie, Lisa Michelle; Gelfand, Michele J; Stangor, Charles; Psychology
    Research on the multi-stage attribution to discrimination process (construct accessibility, perceiving, and reporting of discrimination) focuses on individual difference antecedents and tends to examine one stage in each study (e.g. Major et al., 2002; Stangor, Sechrist, & Swim, 1999; Swim & Hyers, 1999). The current study extends research on this process by examining the interactive effect of individual differences and organizational climate on all three stages of the attribution to discrimination process in an organizational simulation study. Findings indicate that Climate for Intolerance for Discrimination interacts with individual based sensitivity to sexism to predict perceptions of discrimination. Furthermore, perceptions of discrimination fully mediate the relationship between the climate by sensitivity interaction and reporting of discrimination to the organization.